Helsinki - AGERPRES special correspondent Nicoleta Gherasi reports: Europe now has the opportunity to re-enter the competition, because, in the midst of the current fossil fuel crisis, we are witnessing the first signs of an electrification revolution, and our goal must be to transform Europe into the world's first electro-continent, said European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jorgensen at the Eurelectric Power Summit.
'I think we can learn a few things from the Finnish hockey team. To become world champions they needed motivation, determination, and team spirit. But above all, they needed confidence and ambition. And that brings me to the question I would like to ask you today: how ambitious can we be in Europe, what should we aim for, what heights can we reach? I believe we must be courageous and ambitious. I believe our goal must be to transform Europe into the world's first electro-continent,' Jorgensen said.
He stressed that he has no illusions about the effort required to achieve this, given that electricity currently accounts for only 23% of Europe's energy consumption.
'This figure has stagnated for years. While we stood still, other fossil fuel-dependent economies advanced. For example, China and Japan are approaching and even exceeding an electrification level of 30%. But now we have the opportunity to re-enter the competition. In the midst of the current fossil fuel crisis, we are witnessing the first signs of an electrification revolution here in Europe. According to the industry, over 500,000 electric cars were registered in the European Union in the first quarter of 2026. This is enough to reduce oil consumption by 2 million barrels per day,' the European Commissioner explained.
He also noted that in the same period, combined sales of heat pumps in France, Germany, and Poland exceeded 400,000 units, representing a 25% increase compared to the first quarter of 2025.
'European citizens are ready and listen to what science says. They choose electricity. We must follow their example and seize this momentum. This is the goal of our Electrification Action Plan. The plan will include an ambitious electrification target for our Union and will focus on the sectors that are advancing the slowest,' Jorgensen said.
Thus, he added, in industry, the use of clean technologies will be supported and innovation will be promoted to make new electrification solutions commercially viable for European industries.
'In the transport sector, the benefits of electric vehicles are obvious. For example, comparing energy prices in Finland, electricity costs 2.6 euros per 100 kilometers, while gasoline costs 9.20 euros. The difference is significant and is felt. To multiply these benefits, we will work on developing vehicle-to-grid technologies, corporate fleet strategies, and new solutions for the maritime and aviation sectors,' the European official further stated.
Also, according to him, efforts to accelerate the electrification of buildings will continue, expanding the use of heat pumps, batteries, and smart technologies, offering revolutionary opportunities.
'For example, heat pumps are up to five times more efficient than gas boilers, and smart meters can generate energy savings of 10-15% for consumers. By installing these technologies in homes and buildings across Europe, we can bring about a major change in the lives of millions of people. But to fully realize the savings potential of electricity, we must combine it with clean energy. Currently, over 70% of the European Union's electricity generation mix comes from clean and locally produced sources. That's a good percentage, but we must aim even higher, because this will lead to lower electricity bills,' Jorgensen conveyed.
He mentioned that, according to a recent study, consumers in the five EU member states with the highest share of clean energy in their energy mix will save up to 8.5 billion euros more on their electricity bills this year than consumers in the bottom five countries.
'It is also worth noting that we often talk about Europe paying two or three times more for energy than the United States and China. That is true, but it is only an average. Very few countries actually pay prices close to that average. The reality is that some EU member states benefit from very competitive prices, including globally, while others pay very high prices. That means there are ways to reduce costs, and we need to extend these success stories across Europe. That is why we are helping member states accelerate and simplify authorization procedures for clean energy projects,' the European Commissioner for Energy stated.
Jorgensen added that efforts will be intensified to build a strongly interconnected European grid, as well as the storage capacities needed to achieve electrification goals.
But, he said, to achieve these objectives, the new frontiers of digitalization must be explored.
'Digital tools and artificial intelligence open up extraordinary opportunities: from increasing the efficiency of electricity grids to giving consumers greater control over their own energy consumption. Data centers in the European Union consume enough electricity to power nearly 20 million households per year. Therefore, we must harness this power and responsibility. That is why, this week, I presented a strategic roadmap on digitalization and artificial intelligence in our energy system. Our roadmap explains how we can use artificial intelligence to make the energy system cleaner, safer, and more competitive. It also outlines how we can meet the growing energy demand generated by Europe's digital infrastructure,' Jorgensen explained. AGERPRES
